


Little Red Riding Hood

by imaginary_dragonling



Category: Saiyuki
Genre: Alternate Universe, Established Relationship, Fairy Tale Elements, Fluff, Implied Relationships, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Tags Contain Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-26
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-09-28 04:20:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17175767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imaginary_dragonling/pseuds/imaginary_dragonling
Summary: Genjo Sanzo brings Goku along to meet Koumyou for tea. Their visit doesn't go quite as planned.





	Little Red Riding Hood

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bunnyfication](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bunnyfication/gifts).



> Happy Holidays snail_stand! Here is the first part of your gift! There is a part two ~~and maybe a part three~~ coming!
> 
> As the tags implied, more tags will be added for part two! Adding them now would be a bit of a spoiler so I have elected to leave them out and only update the tag list after chapter two has been posted. This story takes place in an AU setting.
> 
> I hope you enjoy the fluffiness here!

Once upon a time, there lived a priest in a town near a forest. In the forest, there was a path. At the end of the path, there stood a house with a door. Upon this door, Genjo Sanzo knocked.

“Ne, Sanzo… Do you think Koumyou-sama will like the flowers?”

Sanzo swivelled around in exasperation, ready to chide Goku for asking such a stupid question. The rebuke died on his lips.

Goku’s brow was furrowed, mouth pressed into a frown as he scrutinized the bouquet of wildflowers laid atop the basket of pastries he clutched in his hands — a last addition Goku had spotted on the way here and insisted on collecting, even though they were already running late to tea.

Sanzo turned back to the door and rapped his knuckles on the hard wood again.

“We’ll take them home if he hates them.” He could feel Goku’s large golden eyes boring holes into the back of his head. “Only a fool would fail to appreciate such a gesture,” Sanzo huffed. Koumyou was no fool. Goku had nothing to worry about. “Now stop fidgeting before I hit you.” Nothing at all.

After all the lectures Koumyou had given him over the years about listening for a voice, it felt surreal for Sanzo to be here, standing on Koumyou’s doorstep, about to introduce him to the guy with the most annoying voice Sanzo had ever heard. Koumyou would be ecstatic, if he ever answered the door.

Sanzo frowned, listening for any sign of life inside the house.

“Is he out?”

Goku peered through a window, trying to see between the crack in the curtains.

Just when Sanzo began to wonder if he had gotten the time and date on Koumyou’s invitation wrong, there was the thud of hasty footsteps and the scramble of the door latch being thrown back. A moment later, the door creaked open and a familiar face peeked out.

“Kouryuu!”

Koumyou Sanzo blinked in the sunlight, looking more dazed than his usual absent-minded self. Koumyou ran a hand through his chin-length fringe, fingers straightening out disheveled strands. Sanzo spied a single red thread tangled in his master’s locks.

“Good evening, Master. Sorry we’re late. Is today still a good time to visit?” The red string dangled within arm’s reach, tantalizing him.

Koumyou’s hand came up and rescued the string from Sanzo’s gaze.

“Oh, yes!” Koumyou beamed at him. “You’re not late at all. Pardon me, I was knitting in the basement and time got away from me. Come in, come in! I was just about to put the kettle on for tea.”

Koumyou stepped aside, pulling the door open and letting them in.

“Should we have brought Hakkai’s knitting needles instead?” Goku whispered, sidling up to Sanzo.

“Baka-saru,” Sanzo hissed back, “Hakkai knows how to knit, not us.”

Sanzo stepped over the threshold, pulling off his travelling cloak and taking the basket from Goku so that he could do the same.

When had Koumyou taken up knitting? Sanzo couldn’t recall mention of that particular hobby in any of his letters.

Sanzo squinted in the dim lighting. The only source of light in the one room interior was from the fireplace which burned low. Koumyou flitted about in the kitchen corner, cups and plates clattering as he collected them while the kettle filled with water.

Goku pressed up beside him, eyes darting around the room with nervous interest. Koumyou’s bed stood in one corner, sheets and covers unmade; various books and papers were scattered about the dining table and on the armchairs by the fireplace; and the smell of tobacco hung heavy in the air, mingling with the cloying scent of incense. Sanzo slung an arm around Goku and passed the basket back to him.

“Here we are!” Koumyou pattered over from the kitchen, slinging the kettle over the fire before placing a tray of mismatched tea cups and an assortment of tea leaves on the low table by the fire. He straightened and smoothed out his shirt. “I’m sorry I don’t have anything suitable to eat. I must confess I quite forgot about you coming to visit today, Kouryuu. And you brought someone with you too!”

Koumyou’s eyes creased as he peered at Goku who stiffened at his side. Sanzo sighed and nudged him forward.

“Master, this is Goku.”

Goku held out the basket to Koumyou. “N-nice to meet you, Koumyou-sama. I’m Goku.”

“Goku,” Koumyou accepted the basket, bowing in thanks, “ one who can see what others cannot . What a good name.” He smiled. “It’s very nice to meet you, Goku-kun.”

He carried the basket over to the fireplace, motioning for them to follow him.

“My, what lovely flowers!” Koumyou collected the bouquet and sniffed at the blooms.

“It was Goku’s idea.”

“It was an excellent idea. I am thoroughly charmed.” Goku’s ears turned pink. “And what about this?” Koumyou uncovered the basket, revealing the neat rows of pastries. “I didn’t know you could bake, Kouryuu!”

“A friend made them,” Sanzo coughed.

“A very good friend indeed.” Koumyou took a bite of a cookie. “My compliments to the chef!”

“Hakkai would be pleased to hear that, Koumyou-sama.”

“Oh, please,” Koumyou waved his half-eaten cookie. “I haven’t been Koumyou-sama in a long time. It’s one of the perks of retirement. Call me Koumyou. And that goes for you too, Kouryuu.” Koumyou pointed a stern finger at Sanzo.

“But Master—”

“No buts Kouryuu.” Koumyou popped the rest of the cookie into his mouth. “Would you like to call me ‘otou-san’ instead?”

Sanzo snapped his mouth shut and Koumyou’s eyes twinkled at him as the kettle whistled.

When tea was served, the three of them settled into the armchairs by the fire. Koumyou cleared his throat.

“So, Goku-kun. How did you and Kouryuu meet?”

After a nervous glance at Sanzo, Goku began, “Well, I was at a bar one night… I don’t remember who I was waiting for, but—”

Thump.

Goku stuttered to a stop. Sanzo frowned and glanced about the room.

“You were saying, Goku-kun?”

Sanzo stared at Koumyou. His master, the man who had raised him and taught him everything he knew, was sitting upright in his chair, his face arranged in his usual mask of placidity.

“Well… S-sanzo showed up and—”

Thump. Thump.

Goku faltered and looked around, eyes trailing towards the backdoor that stood between the bed and kitchen. 

“Koumyou-san, I think there may be something trying to get in.” Goku half-raised himself from his seat, arm extended to call on his nyoibo.

Sanzo followed Goku’s gaze and reached into his robes, hand grasping the handle of his silver pistol. Goku was right. There had been rumours recently about a beast loose in the woods. Villagers who strayed off the path were devoured and never heard of again. The one body that had turned up had been picked clean by crows. It was best to be cautious.

“I think we are safe.”

Incredulous golden and purple eyes turned to Koumyou.

Thump. Thump.  _ Thump. _

Sanzo’s gaze dropped to the floor. The thumping was coming from  _ beneath _ them.

“Aaand I think it’s time for you both to get going! What is the time now? Don’t you have a long way to go back to the town?”

Koumyou stood and began ushering them to the door, grabbing their cloaks and throwing it on them.

“No, it’s not that long of a journey,” Goku said, confused. “Are you sure you’re gonna be okay, Koumyou-san?”

“Yes, quite sure! I can handle myself.” Koumyou smiled at Goku and then shifted his attention to Sanzo. “I’m sorry we had to cut our visit short today. Perhaps you and Goku can come back another time?”

“Will we have to ask Hakkai to make another batch of pastries?”

Thump. Thump.

“Hakkai can come too.”

“But Gojyo will want to come too then.”

“He can come as well!” Koumyou threw open the front door and practically pushed them out. “I have to go finish knitting your red riding hood.”

“But—”

“Write to me!”

And with that, the door slammed shut behind them.

Goku turned confused eyes to Sanzo. “Err that went well?”

Sanzo dragged his eyes away from the shut door and looked at Goku. “Well,” he released his pistol and threw on his cloak, “he didn’t hate the flowers.”

As they walked back to town, Sanzo puzzled over Koumyou’s behaviour. It was not like his master to be so...frantic. The crease in his brow deepend and Sanzo reached for a cigarette, trying to relax as he took a long drag and exhaled.

The feel of Goku’s hand in his startled him.

“You know, I am glad you found me that night.”

Sanzo quirked an eyebrow.

“At the Mt. Gogyo bar.” Goku shot Sanzo a nervous look from beneath his fringe as if worried Sanzo didn’t remember. As if Sanzo could forget. Goku had been a hunched figure sitting morosely by the bar, still and silent as if made from stone. Sanzo hadn’t been able to stand it.

“You were being stood up.” Sanzo took another drag of his cigarette.

“You didn’t have to reach out to me.” The smoke twisted between them, a blossoming script with a story to tell.

“You were being loud. It was annoying.” The smoke disappeared into the breeze, taking its secrets with it.

“Well, I’m glad you did.” Goku smiled at him and the light from the setting sun caught in his golden eyes, making them shine.

Sanzo felt his heart stutter. Sometimes he wondered who was the sun in their relationship. He squeezed Goku’s hand.

“Come on. Let’s get home. I’m hungry.”

Today’s visit hadn’t been a total loss. Koumyou approved of Goku. Even if he hadn’t, Sanzo doubted if he could have stayed away, or if he would even want to. Too often people bowed to circumstance, or resigned themselves to superstitious excuses and blamed red strings of fate. Sanzo preferred this, something he could call his own, and someone he could hold on to and hold in his hands.

**Author's Note:**

> To be continued...


End file.
